Though it looks like the Senate won't vote on health reform legislation before the August recess, a glance into a crystal ball reveals some clues as to what sectors of the industry will see the greatest impact, both positive and negative.

The major health reform bills working their way through the House and under development in the Senate would expand Medicaid and provide new options for families whose children are eligible for each state's Children's Health Insurance Program, according to a new report.

During the House Ways and Means hearings on the Tri-Committee health reform bill, a question was asked numerous times by Republican members: Would larger employers be enticed to give up paying for their employees' health insurance under proposed "shared responsibility" requirements--which required all individuals to be insured--if the federal penalty was not high enough?

The alleged patient-record snoopers at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Hospital in Los Angeles County picked the wrong state in which to snoop. The new laws in California may serve as insight into situations in which state governments may intervene in a more proactive manner.

CMS recently released a thorough explanation of the skilled nursing facility infection control requirements and components of an effective infection control and prevention program. In response, most facilities will have to develop a more thorough infection control program, educate staff across all departments, and constantly monitor infection control and prevention efforts.

The Joint Commission has again received deeming authority from the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the accreditation of critical access hospitals, according to an official announcement by The Joint Commission.

The Center for Research and Innovation in Patient Care at University of California San Francisco School of Nursing recently began a project to reduce the incidence of patient falls and the severity of fall-related injuries.